Lupin House
by Holz9364
Summary: After the war Harry creates a safe place for all orphaned and scared children. He doesn't care if they are children of war heroes or children of Death Eaters because they are still children. ALSO UPLOADED ON A03 UNDER THE NAME 'Holz9364'.


**Lupin House**

 _ **A/N: This is based on a tumblr post by 'threepwillow'. This one;**_

" _ **I have this Really Important headcanon that after the war, Harry takes Grimmauld Place and converts it into a children's home for Hogwarts students who can't or shouldn't or don't want to go back home for the summer holidays because of Serious Reasons because like. If he hadn't had to go back to the Dursley's every summer. If Tom Riddle had been able to stay at Hogwarts all year instead of returning to his horrible life. If beaten down, neglected, destitute, depressed, miserable kids who see Hogwarts as A Way Out could just be removed from those toxic melancholy destructive environments even more permanently.**_

 _ **He calls it the R.J. Lupin House and takes volunteers from both the existing Hogwarts staff and the general Hogwarts-oriented wizarding community for caregivers etc. during the summer months. Sometimes there's summer programming for education or just for funsies and sometimes there isn't and it's just a place for kids to live and be themselves as they deserve to be. And Harry holds lil' Quidditch matches for the athletic kids and Neville is among the first to volunteer and that's how he gets his start on the track to becoming a full-blown professor.**_

 _ **Do you ever cry."**_

* * *

"It looks amazing!"

Harry beamed proudly as he stood in the hallway of Grimmauld Place, "Not bad for a couple of weeks work, thanks for all of your help guys."

George leant against the wall, his arm around Angelina, "No, we should be thanking you Harry. Helping with this project brought us all together again."

Angelina smiled slightly, "It really did Harry. When are you moving in?"

"I'm not," Harry said with a sly smile, "I got the Fidelius Charm removed yesterday."

"You're selling it?" Percy asked in surprise.

"After all of that work?" Ron asked.

Neville, Hermione and Luna were watching Harry with interest. He suspected that they had an idea of where he was going with this. Harry shook his head, "No, I am not selling it. But I do need to furnish it, and fill it with food before Hogwarts breaks off for the summer."

Hermione smiled proudly at him, "You're going to turn it into an orphanage, aren't you?"

"No," Harry replied honestly, "I'm going to turn it into a boarding house for the kids who can't go home in the summer because they don't have a home. Or for the kids who don't want to go back to an orphanage, or who are scared to go home to an abusive family. I'm game to make it a safe house, where kids can have that same safety net they have at Hogwarts."

Neville smiled at his friend, "Where do I sign up?"

Harry grinned at him, "I'll need lots of volunteers to give activities and keep an eye on the kids. I'll be staying here but I'll need a woman to keep an eye on the girls."

"Well despite everything that has happened between us, that has to be me," Ginny said with a small smile, they had broken up not long after the final battle but this project had helped them get their friendship back. The charity itself was about these poor children, but the setting up of it had only strengthened ties between friends and family.

Harry smiled, "Thanks Gin," he said.

"We will need activities," Hermione said, "For the kids."

"Like a Quidditch coach," Ron said, gesturing at himself.

"And someone who can teach them fun tricks about Herbology," Harry said, looking at Neville.

"Not to mention fun 'make your own pranks' workshops," George said, a genuine smile lighting up his face.

"And kids love dragons, right?" Charlie grinned, "I bet they would adore pygmy dragons."

"I don't know what a curse breaker can bring to this project," Bill laughed, "It's a bit heavy for kids, don't you think?"

"Cool stories about ancient Egyptian curses are never too boring for kids," Ginny said with a smile.

Percy smiled weakly, "Well I can help with the finances, and I can market things for us. Get sponsors in, and bring in money."

"That sounds like the perfect job for you Percy," Harry said cheerfully, "Luna?"

Luna appeared to be thinking very hard about this, "Unicorns! I have two baby unicorns, ooh and we could play games with my Nifflers!"

"You have unicorns and Nifflers?" Hermione asked with a laugh, "How do you keep them from fighting?"

"Oh they were raised together from birth," Luna said offhandedly, "They slept in the same bed when they were tiny."

Harry laughed heartily, "Perfect! But we've got to get moving. We have two weeks to get this place ready for a bunch of lonely kids."

* * *

They worked tirelessly to get it ready, day and night. The bedrooms in the large house were kitted out with bunk beds. The kitchen ench was extended, and the pantry was filled with food. They roped in Winky to help Kreacher in the kitchens and they hired two more elves. They scrubbed the tapestry off of the wall in the tapestry room and turned it into a little snug room, filled with books of the wizarding and muggle variety. The large dining room on the ground floor was turned into the workshop room where people like Bill would come in and give talks, and do fun tasks with the kids. The drawing room was turned into a common room, the windows let light stream in and they decked the place out with comfortable sofas and beanbags in the colours of the four houses of Hogwarts. They even put a pool table and a ping pong table in there. The upper floors simply consisted of bedrooms, but the house could sleep around 30 students, and Sirius's old bedroom was reserved for Harry who would be staying at the house 24/7 this summer.

When the Fidelius Charm had come off, they had also realised that Grimmauld Place had a garden. But that garden had clearly not been touched for years. The walls were crumbling, and it had become a small wood for local wildlife and plant life. Neville and Luna agreed to tackle it, and within a week it had been transformed. This being a terraced house in London, it had been a very small garden. However Neville and Luna had enlarged it, just like silencing charms had been placed on every wall in the house to keep the neighbours from complaining. Harry had also gotten all of the proper paperwork in place, both the muggle and wizarding variety.

The garden was perfect for a place like this. There was a small swing set towards the back, there was a half-sized Quidditch pitch, equipped with a fully equipped broom shed. There was a little summerhouse, and a small pond that Neville had filled with some of the more interesting small creatures from the Black Lake. Finally, there was a little paddock for people like Charlie and Luna to bring interesting creatures for the children to look at.

Percy had done his job like a pro, the sponsors had been pouring in and so had the support. Every wizarding newspaper in Britain had done a feature on them, and magazines like Witch Weekly were even clamouring to get the latest scoop on Harry's new venture. He had also spoken with Professor McGonagall who had gotten together a list of students who had nowhere to go, or did not want to go home for one reason or another.

The summer boarding house, which Harry had named "Lupin House" was due to open in 2 days when Harry perused the list. He was just hoping that there were not more names on that list than they had room for. There were around 300 students at Hogwarts, and this house could only fit 30. He was sitting in what would soon be the common room for the students, with Ginny, Hermione, Ron, Neville and Luna. They had to make decisions on which children would sleep where, and decide if any needed any special requirements.

Harry sighed heavily, "Shall I just get on with this then?"

Neville nodded, he was also wary of the sort of things they would find out tonight, "Read it all out loud, and we'll decide where to go from there."

Harry gave his fellow Gryffindor a small nod and began to read.

" _Mr. Potter, I have ordered this list by house and thereafter alphabetically. Contact me if there are any problems. Your idea is humbling, and Professor Dumbledore would be incredibly proud._

 _ **Gryffindor**_

 _Primrose Brown_ _[15 years old] - Sister and Father died in the final battle, Mother is in St. Mungo's with mental health problems."_

Harry had to stop to collect himself for a moment, and Ron looked a little shaken too, "I didn't know Lavender's Mum had mental health problems."

Luna nodded sadly, "She's in the mental ward of St. Mungo's hospital."

"Poor Lavender," Neville said quietly.

Hermione frowned, feeling very guilty for her treatment of Lavender and her misjudgement of her. Harry cleared his throat and glanced back at the list.

" _Dennis Creevey_ _[Turns 17 this summer] - Older brother died in the final battle, Father and Mother in a state of distress, does not wish to return home._

 _Daniel Cresswell_ _[12 years old] - Father was killed during the war, Mother commited suicide. He has no remaining family members._

 _Stephanie Grahams_ _[Turns 16 this summer] - Grew up in an orphanage in Leeds and does not wish to return._

 _Georgina MacLeod_ _[Turns 12 this summer] - Mother abandoned her as a child, she does not know who her Father is. She has spent her childhood in several foster homes and does not wish to return to her current one._

 _Charles Reed_ _[14 years old] - Father and Mother died in a car accident when he was young. Has been raised by his Grandfather who has been taken into a care home due to ill health._

 _ **Hufflepuff**_

 _Flavia Fortescue_ _[13 years old] - Her Grandfather was her sole carer, and he was killed during the war._

 _David Gibson_ _[12 years old] - Has spent his childhood in foster homes after being abandoned as a child. Is suffering from abuse in his current foster home._

 _Jason Jackson_ _[13 years old] - Lost his entire family to a house fire when he was in his 1_ _st_ _year at Hogwarts. He spent the previous summer in a muggle orphanage._

 _Rachael Morrison_ _[17 years old] - Victim of sexual abuse at the hands of the Uncle who raised her. She is very sensitive, so please tread gently._

 _Belle Sinistra_ _[12 years old] - Mother was killed in the final battle, Father was killed by Death Eaters when she was young. No family remains."_

"I can't do this," Harry said weakly, "I can't keep reading this."

Hermione gently placed her hand on his and took the list from him, "I'll do it," she said.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief and shut his eyes tightly as Hermione continued to read.

" _ **Ravenclaw**_

 _Andrew Abbott_ _[Turns 14 this summer] - Parents were both killed in the war, along with his Aunt and Uncle. Only remaining family member is Hannah Abbot, his cousin. However she is too young to care for him this summer._

 _Cordelia Burbage_ _[16 years old] - Mother was killed during the war, she does not know who her Father is and to her knowledge has no remaining family._

 _Richard Clarke_ _[15 years old] - Grew up in an orphanage in Glasgow with no idea of who his parents were._

 _Edward Scrimgeour_ _[17 years old] - Father was killed during the war. Mother has immigrated to Germany to stay with family due to mental health problems._

 _Viola Vance_ _[17 years old] - Mother and Father were both killed during the war."_

"Merlin, was anyone untouched by this?" Ron asked in a very small voice.

Neville shook his head, "No," he said, a darkness in his eyes, "And I think we might see that when we get to the Slytherin names."

Hermione nodded and began to read the final names, those from Slytherin house.

" _ **Slytherin**_

 _Alexander Avery_ _[16 years old] - Mother left when he was very young. He was raised by his Father who was a Death Eater. He is currently serving a lifetime in Azkaban._

 _William Bulstrode_ _[15 years old] - Mother died in an accident when he was young. Father was a Death Eater who was apprehended after the war and is now serving a lifetime in Azkaban._

 _Daisy Carrow-_ _"_

"Carrow?" Neville asked coldly.

"Neville," Ginny sighed, "You can't judge someone based on the actions of their parents."

"They were monsters!" Neville snapped.

"Yes, and that probably means their children suffered all the more!" Hermione bit back as she wiped her eyes, "At least let me read the description."

Neville gave her a stiff nod so she read, " _[Turns 15 this summer] - Mother (Alecto) was killed in the final battle. These are unfortunate circumstances, she was the product of an affair which resulted in her Father being killed when her existence was discovered. Paternal Aunt and Uncle are deceased, only family over the age of 17 is cousin, Pansy Parkinson who is too young to provide care."_

Neville frowned, "Alright, so it's not her fault that her Mother is - I mean was - Alecto Carrow."

Ginny gave a firm nod, "We are going to have to be impartial if we're going to be able to do this."

Neville sighed, "Alright."

" _Matthew Flint_ _[17 years old] - Mother died giving birth to his younger brother who died in infancy. Father was a Voldemort sympathiser who was killed by Aurors in the war. Elder brother is serving 7 years in Azkaban for sympathising with and abetting known Death Eaters._

 _Astoria Greengrass_ _[16 years old] - Father and Mother killed for refusing to join Death Eaters in the war. Elder sister is too young to provide full-time care."_

 _Matilda Malfoy-_ _"_

Harry was startled by that, "Malfoy has a sister?"

Hermione nodded, a frown knitting its way onto her forehead, "Yes, listen to the rest of it, " _[11 years old] - Has not yet begun Hogwarts but has been included under 'Slytherin' because it was her brother's house. Please make an exception for her, she grew up in an orphanage in London, her elder brother has recently discovered her existence through the sending of her Hogwarts letter. Father is in Azkaban, and Mother is in no state to care for her."_

Hermione's hand flew to her mouth, "They obviously gave her away thinking she was a squib!"

"I fucking hate pure-bloods," Ron muttered angrily, he shook his head in disbelief.

"That poor little girl must be so scared," Luna said sadly.

Harry frowned down at his hands as they all expressed their outrage. He was not surprised that Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy had done such a thing. He could even imagine Lucius forcing Narcissa into it and from what Harry had seen, Narcissa would have had no choice. But what about Draco? This girl was 11 years old, Draco would have been about 6 or 7 when she was born. He clearly remembered her, or maybe the memory had been blocked out. Perhaps he had not understood that she was his sister rather than some baby that had come to visit. He pulled himself out of his reverie and cleared his throat, "Well it's people like her that we are doing this for. Where they come from doesn't matter. It's where they are going that does, and if this summer house can change just one of their lives then it's worth it."

Hermione smiled tearfully but proudly at him. She took a deep breath and nodded, reading the final few names on the list.

" _Lacey Nott_ _[Turns 12 this summer] - Father was a Death Eater who was killed in the final battle. Mother died giving birth to her. Elder brother is too young to take on her care._

 _Poppy Parkinson_ _[13 years old] - Father was a Death Eater who was killed in the final battle. Mother committed suicide. Elder brother has been commited to Azkaban for 10 years. Elder sister is too young to take on her full-time care._

 _Posey Parkinson_ _[11 years old] - See above. Please make an exception for her although she has not yet begun her education at Hogwarts. Like Matilda Malfoy she has been included in this section based on her family's Hogwarts houses."_

"I never thought I could feel sorry for Pansy Parkinson, but that is awful," Hermione whispered tearfully.

"I never thought I could compare myself to them," Ginny agreed, "But the Slytherins seem to have suffered just as much as we have, if not more. There were so many names in the Slytherin section of this list..."

Harry nodded, "We were on the other side. The side that killed their parents and siblings, the least we can do now is put a roof over their heads, feed them and give them some happiness."

Neville felt the beginnings of a headache as he asked, "So how do we room them? Do we do it by gender and then by age group? Do we mix houses or not?"

Ron frowned, "Is it going to be a good idea putting Slytherins and Gryffindors together after what's just happened?"

"It's a good idea _because_ of what has just happened," Hermione said wisely, "We might have the odd fight but we can put an end to that. We need to show them that they can get along, that they are all here for similar reasons."

Harry nodded and pulled out a large piece of parchment, "Let's get our heads together then."

* * *

It took 3 hours, but they got there. They had one room spare, which would be used by the 'staff' so that they could nap or stay over if they were working late at any point. They welcomed the students in and roomed them. They seemed to settle in easily enough, and by the time they were three weeks into the summer Harry felt very confident about the whole project.

The kids could have visitors, and that had let to many an interesting conversation. Pansy Parkinson had burst into tears, hugged Harry and thanked him for everything he was doing for her little sisters. She had also apologised for wanting to hand Harry over to Voldemort and explained to him that she had been terrified. Now that he knew she had a little sister in the school at that time he understood far more why she had done what she did.

He had also had a conversation with Theodore Nott who had popped in to visit his little sister, Lacey. He had thanked Harry over coffee and given him a few new ideas for workshops to keep the kids entertained. Harry called them the 'kids' but some of them were 7th years and thus only a year younger than him. It was even stranger for Ginny, because she knew the 7th years, she had gone through school with them since they were 11 years old. But in many ways that actually helped.

It was a beautiful June day when Harry got his first real shock of the summer. He was walking through the house, as he loved to do. He loved to watch his ideas come alive, he loved to watch the children laughing and having a good time. He stood in the common room and looked out of the window. Ron was holding a Quidditch session for the older kids outside. They were playing properly, 7 aside with Ron as the referee. Harry had to laugh as he saw Ron duck a bludger and the 5th, 6th and 7th years laughed loudly as he pretended to fall to his death. It made him so happy to see people from all houses laughing like that together, he never thought that would happen, not after the war.

He was still smiling as he walked downstairs and passed the snug. He heard murmuring coming from within and he was pleased when he saw who it belonged to. Most of the kids had adapted fairly quickly to this new environment, but Rachael Morrison had barely said a word to anyone in the past three weeks. Harry knew it was hard for her, and Ginny (who had been in the same year as the Ravenclaw) had been gradually bringing her out of her shell and making her feel comfortable again. Harry's heart just filled with pride when he saw Rachael and Ginny sitting together in the snug, looking at the latest copy of Witch Weekly, and chucking and rolling their eyes in unison.

He slipped away before they could see him, and stuck his head into the workshop room. It was full of laughter, and Harry knew as he listened to that sound that he had done the right thing. This wasn't just a sanctuary for him and his friends who volunteered here, it was a sanctuary for all of these children and that meant so much to him. He had only told Hermione why he had done it, but he suspected that Neville knew too. If _he_ had had somewhere safe to go, somewhere far away from the Dursleys then maybe he wouldn't have been so thin, so shy and so fragile in many ways. If Tom Riddle hadn't had to go home to that orphanage could he have been redeemed? Could he have known love? Every child deserved to have a place where they felt safe, where they could smile and laugh, and Harry's dream to give them that had finally been recognised.

Inside the room there was a workshop in full spin. It was designed to be for the kids that were in the middle age group, so 3rd year to 5th year really, and it was packed. Neville was giving them a masterclass on how to evade Devil's Snare. They couldn't use their wands, because it was the summer holidays, so Neville had shown them how to make it shrink away with light. But now he was showing them the relaxation method in the most fun way Harry had ever seen. The Devil's Snare was floating in mid-air and there was a ladder leading up to it. The ground was one giant cushioning charm, creating the effect of a trampoline. Neville had placed a tickling charm on the Devil's Snare, and watching these kids try and stay relaxed while giggling like mad was hilarious. When they finally beat the plant they fell to the ground and trampolined up and down. The room was full of laughter and giggles, and Neville looked in his element at the centre of it all.

He would make a great Herbology Professor one day, Harry was sure of that. He slipped away, his grin even wider than it had been before. His feet took him to the garden where Luna was giving a very interesting demonstration for the younger students. This was aimed purely at the 2nd years, and the students who would start their 1st year after the summer. The younger boys were busy watching the Quidditch game, so this small group consisted of the young girls.

Luna was speaking very softly, and the girls were silently crouched around her as her two tiny baby unicorns walked around them, occasionally nuzzling against the girls. It was the actually a very magical sight, and Harry stood and watched it for a long while.

He was distracted by the doorbell. It resonated in the garden because with this being a summer boarding house, they were often outside. He wasn't expecting anyone, but they did get the odd cold caller here trying to sell them something or other. Harry walked back into the house and crossed the hall. He opened the door and had to take a step back in surprise at the person he saw standing in the doorway.

"Malfoy!"

Draco Malfoy looked incredibly awkward as he stood on the doorstep. He gave Harry a stiff nod, "Potter."

"Uh, come in," Harry said distractedly. He took a step back and let Draco walk into the house, then he clicked the door shut behind him. The laughter from the workshop room amplified and Poppy Parkinson shrieked, "Mr Longbottom, please make it stop tickling me! I'm going to die if I keep laughing!"

Harry laughed heartily as Neville's voice drifted into the hallway, "If it stops tickling you Poppy you'll fall right through."

"I want to! I want a go on the cushioning charm, please!"

Neville obviously granted her wish because a moment later a shriek of delight floated into the hallway.

Harry glanced to Draco who seemed confused, "Neville is showing them how to evade Devil's Snare. But the Devil's Snare is tickling them and the floor is basically a trampoline. Are you here to see Tilly?"

Draco frowned, "I do want to see her, but I'm actually here to speak with you. Is there anywhere a bit more private?"

Harry nodded, "Sure, come up to my office. It's right up in the attic though, it's the only place where I can get any peace and quiet."

Draco gave another nod and he followed Harry up the stairs.

"Where does Matilda sleep?" Draco asked curiously as they passed the common room.

"Oh this is her room," Harry said, pointing to a door that said, "ROOM 1" in Harry's block writing with the names, "Posey Parkinson, Lacey Nott, Georgie MacLeod and Tilly Malfoy" beneath in the girls own writing.

"Do you mind if I have a look?" Draco asked, "It's not that I think you're cramming them into bad conditions or anything, I'm just curious."

Harry was a little bemused, but he opened the door, "It's pretty basic, but it does the trick."

There was one big window straight ahead and two bunkbeds against either wall. There was also a large walk in wardrobe where the girls kept their trunks and belongings.

"We let them personalise their own bedding," Harry said as he let Draco walk into the room while he leant in the doorway, "And Georgie had to explain to Posey and Lacey what Sleeping Beauty was when she picked that bed cover."

The comment went right over Draco's head. He was too busy looking at the wall next to Matilda's bed. She was on the bottom bunk and the wall was adorned with pictures of castles and princesses. But amongst it all was one wizarding photograph of a small baby in a cot, and an older blonde boy standing over it looking at her.

Harry averted his eyes and stepped into the corridor. Draco joined him a moment later, looking entirely put together. Harry shut the door behind him and they walked upstairs in complete silence. On the fourth floor where there had once only been a hatch leading to the attic, there was now a wooden spiral staircase. Harry led the way up into his pride and joy. He had charmed the walls, well he had gotten Hermione to charm the walls, with the same spell that animated the roof of the great hall in Hogwarts. As a result the space was bright and light. There was a desk, some filing cabinets, and lots of sofas, it doubled as a lounge for the staff and it was where Percy worked when he came in to do the accounts.

Harry sat down at the desk, and Draco sat down across from him, "I'll take Tilly home with me next summer," he said.

Harry gave a slow nod, "If you're certain you're capable of that, then of course that would be better for her. But we do a part-time care scheme too, she could live here but you could see her whenever you wanted."

"I'll have time for her next summer," Draco said, unable to meet Harry's eye, "This summer I have been very busy with trials and...family affairs."

Harry felt guilty for a moment. Lucius Malfoy had gone to Azkaban, Draco had gotten off scot free. His Mother had been described as 'ill' in the Prophet, Harry wondered if that meant mentally or physically.

Draco sighed and pulled something from his pocket, "Potter, I think you will understand why certain places can contain bad memories. Memories so bad that you can't repress them every time you enter a room."

"This place felt like that to me until I turned it into this," Harry said honestly, "Now it's a sanctuary, for me and for all of these kids."

"Well I could never turn Malfoy Manor into a sanctuary," Draco said firmly, "So I sold it, and I bought myself a new home. I housed my Mother in a private wizarding hospital so that she can overcome her depression. I put some of the money into a saving fund for Matilda, and this is what was left."

Harry stared at the cheque he had just placed on the desk, "Malfoy...you can't be serious. That's an insane amount of money!"

"And it's money that I do not want," Draco said as he finally met Harry's eyes, "I never knew about your childhood until I read the prophet story about you opening this place and I'm sorry that I assumed you grew up in luxury."

"Well that's a nice apology, but it doesn't merit this amount of money," Harry said.

Draco shook his head, "It's not just for you, Potter. It's for all of these kids, and all of the kids that will need this place in the future. There were some summers when I wished I didn't have to go home. If I hadn't gone home the summer after 5th year..." his eyes flitted unwittingly to his left arm.

Harry nodded, he understood. If he hadn't been forced to go home, then maybe they wouldn't have been able to force the dark mark on him, "Look Malfoy, I am delighted with this donation. It's going to make a huge difference to us, it really is. But that's not really the way that we work."

"You're a charity, Potter," Draco drawled, "People give you money, and you spend it. That's how they all work."

"Not this one," Harry said, "We accept donations of money, but the person donate must also donate their time. It doesn't have to be a lot of time. You could teach one Quidditch lesson, or give the kids one workshop. We don't ask you to become a full-time volunteer."

Draco sighed, "Potter, do I look like the kind of person who is good with kids?"

"Everyone is good with kids if they are teaching something they know," Harry said, "Something that they love."

"I don't love anything, and I'm not that good at anything," Draco muttered irritably.

"That's not true, you were always great at Potions," Harry said, surveying the pale man with interest.

"Yes, I am good at potions," Draco said, his grey eyes snapping up to meet Harry's, "Which is a good thing because just about the only job I can get at the moment is as a brewer in the Apothecary in Diagon Alley. But kids don't want to learn about Potions in their summer holidays, they want to have fun."

"Potions can be fun," Harry insisted, "Anything can be fun if you think about it enough. You could teach the girls how to make perfume. That's pretty linked in with Potions, isn't it?"

Draco nodded, "Yes, I could do that."

"Then its settled," Harry said cheerfully as he opened his diary, "Are you free this week? We have slots for workshops on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning."

"I have some business with the bank on Friday," Draco replied, "But I could manage Saturday morning."

Harry smiled triumphantly, "Alright well be here for 9.30pm. We have everything you will need, you just need to bring your expertise."

Draco gave Harry a small nod, and Harry was sure that he saw the slightest smile on the blonde man's face, "The last time I saw Tilly she was petting a baby unicorn," Harry said as he got to his feet, "But I think she's making cupcakes with Ginny now. They are very good if you want to stay for a cup of coffee so that you can trial them?"

Draco did smile then. It was a small smile, but it was also a genuine one, "I would like that," he said honestly.

* * *

"So you said you were working at the Apothecary?" Harry asked Draco conversationally as they sat at the far end of the kitchen bench with a pot of coffee between them.

Matilda, Posey, Georgie and Lacey were all making cupcakes at the far side of the kitchen under Ginny and Luna's supervision.

Draco nodded, tearing his eyes away from his little sister, "Yes. Without my N.E.W.T's I'm not particularly employable."

"You could have taken them at the Ministry, or you could go back to Hogwarts next year," Harry said thoughtfully.

Draco scoffed, "I may still take my N.E.W.T's at the Ministry, but I have to do some studying first. As far going back to Hogwarts, that is certainly out of the question. I can't go back, not after all that happened."

"I'm not going back either," Harry admitted, "I saw too much there, too much pain. One day I might return to teach, but I need a break from Hogwarts for the moment."

"What are you going to do?" Draco asked.

"Well I signed up for Auror training yesterday," Harry said with a slight smile, "They accepted me without my N.E.W.T's and it's what I've always wanted to do."

"What about this place?" Draco asked as he looked around the kitchen.

"Auror training is three years long, and it follows the school term times. So, I'll be working here in my summers," Harry said simply, "And by the time I become a fully qualified Auror this place should be established well enough that I can take a bit of a step back."

"You have it all worked out," Draco said with a knowing look.

"Not all of it," Harry frowned, looking down at the table, "My career maybe, my personal life is more of a jumbled mess. But you don't need to hear about that."

"You will work it out," Draco assured him, "In time."

Harry contemplated those words, but before he had a chance to respond the cupcakes arrived.

"Drake! I made this one just for you!"

Draco smiled at his sister, "What flavour is it Tilly?"

"It's chocolate with caramel icing, your favourite!" Matilda said proudly.

"Sounds delicious," Draco said as he took a bite, "Mm, and it tastes delicious too."

Matilda beamed, "I have to go help with the washing up now!"

"Alright," Draco said, the smile on his face was a soft, genuine one, "We'll go out to that park you like after?"

Matilda nodded eagerly and skipped back to the sink. Harry glanced away from Draco, "She's a good kid."

"She's a great kid," Draco agreed.

"Do you remember her?" Harry asked, aware he was maybe getting a little too personal.

"No," Draco said as his grey eyes met Harry, "My memories of her were erased by my Father and as of yet I haven't been able to get them back. She was 2 years old when she was sent away, she hadn't shown any signs of magic but she was a slow developer."

"I'm sorry," Harry said quietly.

"Don't apologise Potter," Draco said, "You have made her life a whole lot happier in the past few weeks. I owe a lot to you for that."

"Well, you're welcome," Harry said, giving the former Slytherin a genuine smile.

* * *

"Did you have a coffee and cupcake date with Draco Malfoy yesterday?"

Harry snorted, "No Neville, he came by with that huge cheque and I booked him in for the Saturday morning workshop slot. He wanted to see Tilly and she was baking so I made him coffee and kept him company until she was done."

"What's his workshop on?" Neville asked curiously.

"Perfume making, I thought the girls would like it," Harry replied, "I figured it was pretty linked in with his Potions skills."

"Hmm," Neville said thoughtfully, "What did you talk about?"

"Lots of things, we made small talk. That's what people do over coffee Neville," Harry said as he pottered around in the kitchen,

"No Harry, that's what people do on dates," Neville corrected him.

Harry sighed irritably, "Neville, it wasn't a date. Tilly was there baking with the girls and Ginny. He was thanking me, and we were talking about what we were going to do now that the war is over. That's what people talk about over coffee, meaningless little things like that."

"Harry, I was the only one who accepted it when you broke up with Ginny. I didn't ask why, I didn't prod you for answers. But I _saw_ the way that you and Malfoy were looking at each other yesterday," Neville said pointedly.

Harry groaned, "He was here to see his sister, and I was being polite to him, alright? I know what you are implying, but I did not break up with Ginny because of a lack of sexual attraction or anything like that. It just wasn't going to work after the war, I mean she's going back to school for crying out loud. It's such a different world from the one I have been living in for the past year, that was why we broke up."

"Alright," Neville said gently, "I just wondered if there was anything more to it, between you and Malfoy."

"Well there isn't!" Harry snapped.

Neville raised his hands in a gesture of defeat, "Whatever you say," he said, but he didn't sound convinced.

* * *

"Pansy, will you come with me to see Tilly after that workshop I have to give on Saturday?"

Pansy frowned, "Of course I will," she said. Draco was staying with her for a few days while the paperwork was sorted out for his new house, "I'd like to see Poppy and Posey anyway. Are you really going for Tilly though, or are you going for Harry?"

"Since when did you call him anything other than Potter?" Draco asked distastefully.

"Since he changed my sisters' lives," Pansy replied honestly, "I got a letter from Poppy about this whole summer boarding thing and she seemed so excited. I was just waiting for it to fall through, for her to not be allowed to go because she was the daughter of a Death Eater. I was waiting for the inevitable excuse. I was ready to curse and swear that Harry Potter only wanted the best for his little project. But that didn't happen Draco, he accepted her _and_ he took Posey even though she wasn't eligible, just like he took Tilly. He wants to give all of those kids a better life, he doesn't care about where they come from or what they are, he only cares about where they are going and he is playing a huge part in that."

"I know he is," Draco said stiffly.

"No, I don't think you do. When I visited two days ago, Posey asked me why we were all in Slytherin and I said I supposed it was because we were all quite ambitious," Pansy said, pouring him a cup of coffee, "She asked if she had to be in Slytherin too, and I said no. She seemed so relieved because apparently Harry had told her that her sisters would be proud of her no matter house she was sorted into, but she didn't believed him until she spoke to me."

"He's brought Tilly out of her shell too," Draco said quietly, "After I visited yesterday I took her out to the park that she likes just down the road. She talked to me for ages about unicorns and how she wants to be like 'Mrs Luna' when she's older. She said the older kids call her loony, but that apparently Potter told her that she wasn't loony at all, she was just very clever and people called her names because they don't understand her. He told Tilly that in a way that she actually understood."

"He'll be a great Headmaster one day," Pansy said with a cryptic smile, "Maybe even better than Dumbledore."

"He'll have to marry his Weaslette and produce several Potter-Weasley children first," Draco said.

"Considering he broke up with his Weaslette after the final battle, I highly doubt that," Pansy said smugly, "And this is where being friends with a reporter comes in handy my darling because I heard a report yesterday. Somebody overheard a conversation between him and Granger while they were doing that shoot for " _Wizarding Life"_ magazine."

"And?" Draco drawled, sipping on his coffee.

"And Potter said that he loved having the charity because he could watch all of these kids grow up and move on," Pansy said, "He said he loved that he could share that with someone, because he would probably never be able to have his own children because of his situation."

"Situation?"

"He's gay, you buffoon," Pansy said, lounging on a stool in the bar area of the kitchen, "Gayer than a bloody rainbow!"

"He is not," Draco said with narrowed eyes, "He can't be, he dated Chang! He snogged Weaslette in broom cupboards!"

"You dated me, you snogged Daphne Greengrass in broom cupboards," Pansy said pointedly, "And you've never shagged a bloody woman!"

"That is not strictly speaking true," Draco said, but a smile was playing on his lips, "You and I got pretty close once."

"Not that you remember it because we had just survived a huge battle and you were blind drunk," Pansy said, raising an eyebrow at him, "So that doesn't count. It's all very simple, you like men, _he_ likes men. _And_ you're going to be spending the day with him on Saturday."

"Surrounded by school kids," Draco pointed out, "And my little sister will be there."

Pansy shrugged, "Doesn't mean you can't ask him out," she said as she kissed him on the cheek, "You just need to muster up a little bit of courage babe."

Draco rolled his eyes and pulled his cloak on, "I'll think about it. Let me walk you to work?"

Pansy hooked her arm through his and smiled at him, "Sure."

* * *

Saturday morning found Harry spying on Draco Malfoy's workshop. Technically he was just observing it, as he observed almost all of the workshops. He liked to pop his head in to see how they were going, to see if the kids were having a good time. But he was leaning in the doorway watching Malfoy in awe, and it certainly could not be classed as simply popping his head in for the sake of the kids.

Draco was in his element amongst all of these girls. Some of them hadn't been keen on the idea of making perfume but of the 14 girls lodging with them this summer, 10 of them had jumped at the chance of this workshop.

"Okay," Draco said, clapping his hands together and smiling slightly, "We're ready to start. I'll be walking around so give me a shout or grab me if you need any help."

They all began to busy themselves and chatter as they worked in pairs. Draco walked around, occasionally stopping to speak to them or answer their questions. He paused next to Primrose Brown, and she looked at him warily, "Sorry, I don't mean to make you uncomfortable. I just wondered what kind of perfume you wanted to create."

"Lavender," Primrose said quietly.

Draco's eyes flashed with recognition, "Lavender is a lovely smell. But not on its own, it needs a little bit of something so that it doesn't send you to sleep the moment you spray it on. I think peppermint smells lovely with lavender."

Primrose nodded, "Thanks Mr. Malfoy."

"You're welcome," Draco said as he walked on, "Ooh that smells great Posey! What is it?"

"It's poesy, poppy and pansy oils, Draco!" Posey said eagerly, "I'm going to call it the Parkinson perfume!"

Draco smiled broadly at the girl, "That's a great idea. Make sure you save some for Pansy's birthday, she will love it."

Posey nodded eagerly, "I will!"

Draco smiled at the eager little girl and glanced to her older sister, "What are you making Pops?"

Poppy didn't look up as she concentrated very hard on her perfume, "It's jasmine and pine."

"Well it smells really good. You can add a little bit of something spicy if you want to give it a more wintery feel. Cinnamon would work, it would smell just like Christmas."

Poppy smiled and looked up, "I _love_ Christmas."

"I know you do," Draco said, smiling slightly as he walked on, "What's that lovely perfume that I smell there Lace?"

Lacey Nott was practically bouncing on the balls of her feet, "It's rosemary and spearmint!"

"Mmm, smells good enough to eat," Draco said.

Lacey laughed, "I don't think you should."

"No, I won't," Draco said with a little smile.

Harry found himself smiling widely as he watched Draco interact with these kids. He had clearly being lying through his teeth when he said that he wasn't good with kids. He was great with these ones, he mostly left the older girls to their own devices, but he answered questions when they had them. He focused his energies on helping the younger girls. When Georgie spilled her perfume and burst into tears, he swooped in to save the day.

"Hey don't cry sweetheart," Draco said gently, "We can scoop it all up and it will be good as new. See?"

He repaired the jug and levitated the perfume back into it. He performed a cleaning charm and said, "It might smell a bit more like lemon now, but it's all fixed."

Georgie nodded and wiped her eyes, "Thanks Mr. Malfoy."

"No problem," Draco said, "Be a little bit more careful with that measuring spoon next time," he joked.

Georgie laughed and nodded.

Harry could have cursed as he watched Draco Malfoy. The more he watched the more intrigued he was. The more he watched, the more he wanted to ask the git out on a date.

"How's the perfume coming along Tilly?" Draco asked, coming to a stop at his sister's desk.

Matilda looked a lot like him. Her long blonde hair was braided down her back, and her grey eyes shone happily as she looked at her older brother, "It's nearly finished. Smell it Drake!"

Draco smiled at the nickname, even though he had hated it when Pansy had used it. He sniffed the perfume and hummed, "Let me guess, it's cedar and orange."

Matilda nodded excitedly, "Yes! Because I love oranges, and so do you."

"I do," Draco agreed, "Have you ever tried my orange and chocolate cheesecake?"

Matilda's eyes lit up, "No, but that sounds amazing!"

"It's so amazing, especially with double cream," Draco said, smiling genuinely at her, "We'll make it next summer when you come to stay with me."

Matilda's grin was so wide and so catching, "I can't wait!"

"Me either," Draco said as he drew back to keep an eye on the other children. As he glanced around his eyes fell on Harry and for some inexplicable reason Harry blushed. He supposed it was because he had been observing Draco so intently and he had been caught in the act.

He tried to act naturally so he smiled slightly at Draco and gave him a thumbs up, to tell him he was doing a great job. Harry got a little smile back, and then he shrunk away from the doorway. He headed down to the kitchen, hoping it would be empty because Ron and Neville had taken the boys away on a field trip today and the girls who weren't taking part in the workshop normally gossiped in the common room upstairs.

He was surprised therefore when he saw Pansy Parkinson sitting in the kitchen, sipping on a cup of tea and taking notes in a leather-bound journal. She smiled when she looked up, "How is Draco's workshop going?"

"Great," Harry replied, "They love him, he's got a good nose."

"Of course he does. That's why he's so good at potions," Pansy said thoughtfully as she put her quill down, "A good nose for Potions, good hands for Herbology, good eyes for Quidditch and a good mouth for cooking. That was why my Mother always used to say."

Harry smiled slightly, "Well I suppose I have a good eye then. Do you want me to make up a pot?" he asked, gesturing at her tea.

"That would be nice," Pansy said.

Harry busied himself with the kettle and said, "So I assume you're here to see Poppy and Posey."

"I am, but Draco also asked me to come for moral support," Pansy chuckled, "He was rather nervous this morning."

"Well it doesn't show in there," Harry said as he set the kettle to boil on the stove and turned back to the Slytherin girl, "What are you working on?"

"Oh it's just a gossip piece for Witch Weekly," Pansy said with a roll of her eyes, "All about Viktor Krum's latest catch, the real news is already forgotten apparently."

"Back to business as usual now that the war is over I suppose," Harry sighed, "Who is Viktor Krum dating by the way?"

Pansy shot him a grin, "Why? Are you jealous?"

Harry scoffed, "What is it with everyone thinking that I'm gay this week?"

Pansy laughed, "You haven't admitted it to yourself yet? I don't mean to be rude Harry, but the sooner you accept it, the sooner things will feel like they are going to be okay again. You are who you are."

"And you are a reporter," Harry said with narrowed eyes.

"I'm not working," Pansy said, "And I owe you so much. I could never rat you out, not for any amount of money. You have completely changed my sister's lives and sometimes I think you underestimate how much that means to me."

Harry sighed and turned away from her as the kettle screeched. He made up a pot of strong tea, and grabbed himself a mug. Once he had set it all down and poured out his own cup as well as refilling Pansy's, he finally looked at her.

"I'm not gay," Harry said, "At least I don't think I am. When I was with Cho and Ginny I was attracted to them. Ginny and I even...well you get the hint."

Pansy nodded, "So?"

"Well I have feelings for someone, a guy," Harry said as he sipped his tea, "But he's the first guy I've had feelings for, the _only_ guy."

"I see," Pansy said matter of factly, "And this _guy_ you speak of wouldn't happen to be teaching little girls how to make perfume upstairs right about now, would he?"

Harry's cheeks flushed.

Pansy smiled, "He feels the same. I think you need to work up a little of that Gryffindor courage that you're famous for and ask him on a date. He likes coffee, cupcakes and picnics."

"Subtle Parkinson."

* * *

"You did a great job today," Harry said as he stood with Draco in the empty workshop room. He had stayed for the best part of the day and had even had lunch with them.

"I actually had fun," Draco admitted, "I was dreading it, but the kids were great."

"They are great kids," Harry said with a proud smile.

"A lot of that is down to you," Draco said.

Harry shook his head, "No it's down to everyone. It's Ginny, Hermione, Neville and Luna. It's everyone who comes in and does a workshop. Don't give me more credit than I deserve."

Draco smiled slightly, "Alright. Well I'll be seeing you Potter."

"Malfoy, wait," Harry said, stepping forward before he could leave the room, "I don't get much free time with this job. It takes up pretty much my whole summer, but I do get one night off a week and I wondered if you were free this Monday?"

Draco froze, and Harry panicked. He had said the wrong thing, and he inwardly cursed Pansy for talking him into this. Eventually Draco turned to him and smiled, "I'm free."

Harry breathed a sigh of relief, "How does coffee sound?"

Draco's smile remained on his face, "It sounds great."

Harry gave him a small nod, "Perfect. Well I'll owl you the details then."

"I look forward to it," Draco said honestly.

"Me too," Harry said, smiling like an idiot as Draco left the room. He stopped inwardly cursing Pansy and instead gave himself a mental note to owl her and say thank you. This whole project of his was about moving on and learning from the mistakes they had made in the past. He found it very fitting that he and Draco had found each other again because of it. He found it to be even more of a reason to give Draco a second chance, and he had no idea where that second chance would take him. But he was certain of one thing, he could not wait to find out.

 **THE END :)  
**

 **Thanks for reading! :)**


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